قَالَ لَهُمْ مُّوْسٰی وَیْلَكُمْ لَا تَفْتَرُوْا عَلَی اللّٰهِ كَذِبًا فَیُسْحِتَكُمْ بِعَذَابٍ ۚ وَ قَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرٰی۝۶۱

Moses said to them: "Woe betide you. Do not fabricate a lie against God, or He will destroy you with some affliction. For he who fabricates lies is doomed to failure."

فَتَنَازَعُوْۤا اَمْرَهُمْ بَیْنَهُمْ وَ اَسَرُّوا النَّجْوٰی۝۶۲

So they discussed their strategy among themselves and conferred privately,

قَالُوْۤا اِنْ هٰذٰىنِ لَسٰحِرٰنِ یُرِیْدٰنِ اَنْ یُّخْرِجٰكُمْ مِّنْ اَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَ یَذْهَبَا بِطَرِیْقَتِكُمُ الْمُثْلٰی۝۶۳

(And) said: "These two are surely magicians. They want to deprive you of your land with their magic, and eradicate your distinct way (of life).

فَاَجْمِعُوْا كَیْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ائْتُوْا صَفًّا ۚ وَ قَدْ اَفْلَحَ الْیَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلٰی۝۶۴

So prepare your strategy and come forward. He alone shall win today who is superior."

قَالُوْا یٰمُوْسٰۤی اِمَّاۤ اَنْ تُلْقِیَ وَ اِمَّاۤ اَنْ نَّكُوْنَ اَوَّلَ مَنْ اَلْقٰی۝۶۵

They said: "Either you cast (your spell), O Moses, or we shall cast it first."

قَالَ بَلْ اَلْقُوْا ۚ فَاِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَ عِصِیُّهُمْ یُخَیَّلُ اِلَیْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ اَنَّهَا تَسْعٰی۝۶۶

Moses said: "No. You cast it first" Then it seemed to Moses that by their magic their cords and rods were flying;

فَاَوْجَسَ فِیْ نَفْسِهٖ خِیْفَةً مُّوْسٰی۝۶۷

And Moses felt afraid within himself.

قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْاَعْلٰی۝۶۸

We said to him: "Fear not. You will certainly be victorious.

وَ اَلْقِ مَا فِیْ یَمِیْنِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوْا ؕ اِنَّمَا صَنَعُوْا كَیْدُ سٰحِرٍ ؕ وَ لَا یُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَیْثُ اَتٰی۝۶۹

Throw down what is in your right hand: It will swallow up what they have conjured. For what they have fashioned is only a trick of the sorcerer; and a sorcerer does not succeed wherever he may come."

فَاُلْقِیَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوْۤا اٰمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هٰرُوْنَ وَ مُوْسٰی۝۷۰

The magicians, (seeing the miracle), fell down in prostration, saying: "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron."